Stick for handling high-voltage line conductors



T. F. JOHNSON, JR. STICK FOR HANDLING HIGH VOLTAGE LINE CONDUCTORS.

APPLICATION F!LED JULY 30,1918- l,370,651. Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

INVENTOR UNITED STATES TOMLINSON FORT JOHNSON,

.13., or ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

STICK FOR HANDLING HIGH-VOLTAGE LINE CONDUCTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 1921.

Application filed July 30, 1918. Serial No. 247,429.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TOMLINSON F. J OHN- soN, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing atAtlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Stick for Handling High-Voltage Line Conductors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to sticks for handling high voltage line conductors, and its object is to provide a simple device whereby a workman may remove from, handle and replace on insulators the conductors of high voltage transmission lines without danger, even though the voltage be very high, say one hundred thousand or more volts, and such handling may be performed while the line is alive, thus preventing any interruption of service.

In high voltage transmission faulty 1nsulators are quite frequently met with and it has usually been the custom to cut off the current while the faulty insulators have been replaced with good ones. Not only .does this mean interruption of service but the employment of special instruments for 10- cating the faulty insulators. The invention permits the employment of the service current for the purpose of testing out the insulators and spotting the faulty ones, and then the handling of the live wires without danger while the faulty insulators are removed after the live wires have been disconnected therefrom and the renewal of the insulators and ultimate fastening of the conductor thereto, the whole operation in no wise affecting the service which may continue uninterruptedly.

The invention comprises a pole of suitable length, say eight or ten or more feet long, which pole may be formed of wood, which material is of sufiicient insulating qualities for the purpose, and at one end the pole is provided with a clamping device of a character permitting it to grip a line conductor without liability of loosening, and hold the conductor throughout all the necessary manipulations, the conductor remaining at all times sufliciently distant from the operator to protect him from the efiects of the extremely high voltage on the line.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration bfthe following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this speclfication, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed and mod fied so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stick or pole for handling the line wire, the stick belng shown as provided with a swivel butt F1g. 2 is a longitudinal diametric section, with some parts in elevation, of the gripping end of the stick, the showing bemg on a larger scale than Fig. 1.

F 1g. 3 1s a plan view of the gripping end of the stick showing it applied to a line conductor.

In the drawing, there is shown a stick 1 which may be conveniently made of wood because of lightness and having sufficient nsulating qualities for the purposes of the invention. The stick may be specially treated to improve its insulating qualities. The stick is of such size as tobe convenient for handling and at the same time sufiiciently strong to sustain a line wire. The length of the stick will of course depend upon the use to which it is put, but it should at all times be long enough to thoroughly protect the user and also to reach the line wire from a point where the user can handle the stick.

At one end the stick is provided with a cap 2 constituting a head or anvil provided at one end with a circular flange 3 forming a socket into which the corresponding end of the stick is inserted. The outer or front face of the head is flat. The head and parts associated therewith may be made of iron or steel. Any manner of fastening the head on the st1ck may be employed, screws 4 being shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The head 2 is axially bored and screwthreaded for the receptionof a correspondingly threaded shank 5 terminating at one end in a flat hook 6 of a length to overlie the head 2 in substantially parallel relation thereto and terminating at a point distant from the shank 5 in a return portion 7 of a length and so spaced from the shank that a line conductor 8 may be lodged between the hook 6 and the corre' sponding face of the head 2. The hook 6 is made with two bends of approximately 90 each, with a flat portion between the bends, the return portion 7 projecting beyond the edge or periphery of the anvil. A curved hook would not be effective for the desired purpose. The return portion 7, when the conductor is clamped between the head 2 and hook 6, so restricts the space between said return portion 7 and the head 2 as to prevent the escape of the conductor. The stick 1 is shown at 9 as axially bored to permit the entrance into the bore of the shank 5 so that said shank may be unscrewed for a considerable distance out of the head without lessening the amount of the shank engaging the head.

For heavy duty work that end of the stick 1 remote from the clamping or gripping head is provided with a socket member 11 fast thereto and carrying a shackle 12, whereby tackle of suitable character may be fastened thereto for the purpose of supporting the stick and conductor gripped thereby when the load is too heavy to be conveniently handled without assistance by an operator.

lVhen it is desired to grip a live line conductor the clamping hook is unscrewed to a sufficient extent and by means of the pole the hook is placed over the line conductor and then the pole is turned about its longitudinal axis, thereby screwing the stem 5 along its threaded support toward the head 2. This causes the conductor 8 to be gripped between the hook 6 and the anvil associated therewith. l/Vhen so gripped the line conductor 8 cannot escape from the pole or stick and is held firmly thereto, and the stick may be manipulated as desired with the assurance that the line conductor will be supported and moved to different positions and there held either by an operator grasping the stick or by tackle fast to the shackle 2. The stick may be used for handling live high voltage conductors both in emergencies and in connection with the live maintenance of transmission systems or net works.

Among the Various uses to which the stick may be put are; changing suspension type insulators, changing suspension type insulators on dead ends, changing pin type insulators, splicing conductors, and cutting in and taking out switches.

In fact, the usefulness of the stick is almost unlimited and makes it possible to do many things without affecting the continuity of service, which at first glance would appear to be impossible.

While the sizes of the sticks are by no means particularly limited, they may, in or dinary practice, range from eight to fifteen feet in length or may be shorter or longer, and may be from 1:} inches to 3 inches in diameter. These dimensions, however, are merely given as examples for it is not intended to limit the practical form of the invention to any particular sizes.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A means for handling live high voltage transmission conductors, comprising a stick provided at one end with a screw hook and an anvil associated with the hook and toward and from which anvil the hook is movable, when applied to a line conductor, by turning the stick about its longitudinal axis, whereby the conductor is clamped between the hook and the anvil.

2. A means for handling live high voltage transmission conductors, comprising an elongated insulating stick having at one end a threaded anvil rigidly mounted thereon and v a threaded hook associated with and m0v able toward and from the anvil and adapted to grip a line conductor between the hook and the anvil.

3. A means for handling live high voltage transmission conductors, comprising an elongatedinsulating stick having at one end a threaded anvil rigidly mounted thereon and a threaded hook associated with and movable toward and from the anvil and adapted to grip a line conductor, the hook overhanging the anvil and extending beyond the edge thereof and provided with a return end beyond said edge to confine the conductor to the anvil.

4. A means for handling live high voltage transmission conductors, comprising an elongated wooden stick having at one end a fixed head with an outer fiat face and an axially threaded portion constituting an anvil, and a flat hook carried by the head and provided with a threaded portion fitting the threaded portion of the head and overhanging the flat face of the anvil, the flatportion of the hook and the face of the anvil being substantially parallel with each other.

5. A means for handling live high voltage transmission conductors, comprising an elongated wooden stick, a socket head applied and fastened to one end of the stick and having an axially located threaded passage therethrough and a fiat clamping face, and a flat hook provided with a threaded shank engaging the threaded passage of the head, said hook overhanging the head and extending radially along the latter and at its outer a extremity beyond the edge of the head returned toward'the stick, the flat portion ofthe hook cooperating with the flat face of the head, whereby to clamp a conductor between the hook and head with the return portion confining the conductor against escape from the head.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature.

TOMLINSON FORT JOHNSON, Jr. Witnesses I. W. GREENE, E. C. SIMMoNs. 

